Wartime Watnall - On Battle of Britain Day we celebrate Watnall's own "few"

WAAF girl's who served at RAF Watnall

It's Battle of Britain Day today so we celebrate RAF Watnall's own vital "few", the WAAF girls who worked underground in RAF Watnall's top secret bunkers...

The WAAF girls who worked underground in RAF Watnall's top secret bunkers were a select band of hand-picked and well-educated girls who had to be good at complex maths and cool under pressure. They were a vital cog in the RAF's "Dowding System" which gave early warning of enemy air raids. Due to the secrecy of the work they were simply called "Special Duties Clerks".

Radar was extremely primitive and the readings from several radar stations had to be telephoned in and then "filtered" by staff in RAF Watnall's Filter Room in order to give a clear and accurate depiction of incoming aircraft. This meant it had to be mathematically analysed, triangulated and collated with human Observer Corps data before it could be relied on. They had to sign the Official Secrets Act and could not tell their families what they did, a secret many of them kept for years after the war. They were not even allowed to mention the words "Filter Room" amongst themselves instead using their own code "Freddie Roberts".

This sophisticated, high-tech early warning system was unmatched anywhere in the world. Incoming German aircraft were often surprised and puzzled to see RAF fighters already airborne and waiting for them. It undoubtedly gave the RAF a vital edge and, as Winston Churchill himself said, was a key factor in winning the Battle of Britain.

The RAF's technical boffins were constantly improving the radar systems and were a familiar presence in the Filter Room monitoring its performance. The early "Chain Home" radar masts were fixed in position, looking out to sea, but the next generation were able to rotate by the comical-sounding means of bicycle chains and pedals allowing them follow enemy aircraft inland.